Aomori
Aomori is a Planet in the Alvero System located in hex 0406 and the Homeworld of House Reticulum. The planet is largely water, with many archipelagos and few main land masses. Most of the planets fauna and much of its flora are the results of failed terraforming experiments by House Reticulum. These include predatory mega-fauna and strange blue trees. Language The language of Aomori is the language of House Reticulum, an artificial (pidgin) language that is a synthesis of various languages. The language uses words from various different languages. The character set is Chinese. Ritual Combat The locals favor some form of stylized combat to resolve disputes, provide entertainment, or settle religious differences. This combat is probably not normally lethal unless it's reserved for a specific disposable class of slaves or professionals. Some combat may involve mastery of esoteric weapons and complex arenas, while other forms might require nothing more than a declaration in the street and a drawn gun. Enemies: * Bloodthirsty local champion * Ambitious gladiator stable owner * Xenophobic master fighter Friends: * Peace-minded foreign missionary * Temperate defender of the weak * Local eager to learn of off-world fighting styles Complications: * The required weapons are strange pretech artifacts * Certain classes are forbidden from fighting and require champions * A loss doesn't mean death but it does mean ritual scarring or property loss Things: * Magnificent weapon * Token signifying immunity to ritual combat challenges * Prize won in bloody battle Places: * Area full of cheering spectators * A dusty street outside a saloon * Memorial for fallen warriors Terraform Failure Terraforming failure of Aomori. This world was marginal for human habitation when it was discovered, but the Mandate or the early government put in pretech terraforming engines to correct its more extreme qualities. The terraforming did not entirely work, either failing of its own or suffering the destruction of the engines during the Silence. The natives are only partly adapted to the world's current state and struggle with the environment. Unpredictable Cycles The various ongoing effects attributed to the terraforming engines occur during unpredictable, seemingly random cycles. When these cycles enter an active phase, fauna in a radius around the engines begin to act with extreme aggression, aerial creatures crash into the sides of the engine, and aquatic creatures begin to strand themselves in massive quantities along beaches and shorelines surrounding the engines. These active cycles can last for varying amounts of time, with the shortest active cycle taking two hours and the longest cycle taking eleven months. During inactive cycles, these effects fade and fauna returns to its normal state. The notable exception to these cycles is the defunct Terrata Prime engine, which has been almost entirely stripped of parts and disassembled. Though effects on terrestrial and aerial fauna have ceased with the engines disassembly, aquatic life continues to constantly strand itself on the nearby shoreline. Enemies: * The brutal ruler who cares only about their people * Offworlder trying to loot the damaged engines * Warlord trying to seize limited habitable land Friends: * Local trying to fix the engines * Offworlder student of the engines * World-wise native survivor Complications: * The engines produced too much of something instead of too little * The engines were hijacked by aliens with different preferences * It was discovered that an earth-like environment would eventually cause a catastrophic disaster Things: * Parts to repair or restore the engines * Lootable pretech fragments * Valuable local tech devised to cope with the world Places: * Zone of tolerable gravity or temperature * The native settlement built to cope with the environment * Massive ruined terraforming engine Moon Phio Refueling Station Cluny 2 Occupation: '''Religious missionaries to travelers '''Situation: '''Has corrupt customs agents Gas Giant Mine Cobalt Mine '''Occupation: Strange robots and their overseers. Situation: They need vital supplies Lamas Mine Project Occupation: Strange robots and their overseers. Situation: Alien remnants were found. Cities Kahaka A city built on a semi-circular volcanic archipelago, the city of Kahaka is the industrial center of Aomori. :Population: 10.3 Million Terrata Prime A city on built in and around the shell of a massive terraforming engine of the same name. :Population: 7.9 Million Xinjing Aomori's capitol city, a sprawling ocean-side city, yet clean and well off. :Population: ??? Flora Pant life on Aomori contains a pigment known as kyanophyll rather than chlorophyll as plants contain on Earth. This difference results in almost all plants taking a remarkable blue color, creating the blue forests from which Aomori's name is derived. Shinkanten Shinkanten is a red algae-like plant that produces a gelatinous substance commonly used in puddings and desserts. It grows in large amounts on the shores of Aomori's islands. It's red color sticks out among Aomori's almost entirely blue surface. Without gps, the easiest way to identify Aomori's small blue land masses in the midst of its giant blue oceans is the red outline that the shinkanten creates around the islands. Yoroki Yoroki are mid-sized trees that typically grow between 20 to 30 ft. They are best known for secreting a sticky substance known as yoroki sap that coats the tree and makes it resistant to acid and fire. Reticulum armor is typically coated with yoroki sap to improve its effectiveness. Fauna Bomuari Characteristics: '''Bomuari are a flying insect-like creature that creates nests inside of Yoroki. Similarly to many Earth insects such as ants and bees, Bomuari are a hive mind and live to protect and nourish their fertile queen. The Bomuari biologically tasked with defending the nest are capable of self-combusting, creating a fireball approximately 2 inches in diameter. '''Coracle Eel Characteristics: '''Coracle eels, named for their habit of preying upon small personal craft or swimmers, are a species of predatory eel native to the oceans of Aomori. Adult specimens are typically 26 to 32 meters in length, and can weigh up to 200 tons. Male coracle eels have dark green heads which gives way to a dark grey, almost black coloration. Female eels have slightly brighter heads. Present across Aomori, coracle eels have been hunted for sport, food, and population control since the planet was settled by House Reticulum. Despite constant hunting however, coracle eel populations have been constant throughout the recorded history of the planet, and show no visible decline. While they typically stay away from shallower waters, coracle eels have been known to cause massive damage when under the effects of an active terraforming engine. While under the effects of an engine these creatures may make their way almost 2 kilometers inland before going catatonic. '''Shizakura Characteristics: '''Shizakura are amorphous creature that appear to be a pink moss from distant observation. They generally form somewhat circular patches that can be up to 15 ft. in diameter for fully grown individuals. Those who are unfortunate to observe it more closely without proper preparation will quickly learn that it is much more dangerous. When an animal steps onto the shizakura, it slowly climbs the animal with the rest of its body while secreting an enzyme that sticks to and immobilizes the animal. After the animal is fully engulfed, the shizakura lays flat again, hiding the animal beneath it while the enzymes finish digesting the animal. Oftentimes the outlines of an undigested animal are visible in the shizakura. Shizakura reproduce asexually and if a small section is cut out, it will live on its own. The main methods of killing shizakura are flames of complete pulverization. '''Culinary use: '''The shizakura is edible if a small section is harvested and removed of its venom before being pulverized. The venom cannot be removed after pulverization. The shizakura is considered a delicacy and many chefs have mastered the technique of preparing it but very few are trusted to perform it as the tiniest error could have deadly results. '''The Nightmarcher Characteristics: The Nightmarcher is a compact and well-muscled animal, is the deadliest land animal on Aomori. Its size and weight vary, but can get up to ~600lbs. It's a nocturnal animal, coming out in the night, and runs as fast as a cheetah. Traditionally, the animal is secluded and keeps to itself, however, it isn't unheard of to see the creature with it's mate, forming an especially deadly duo. Females of the species have frills around their necks, folded towards their back. When they are spotted by their prey, the frills pull up and reflect a stark and blinding light in the eyes of their quarry. If that wasn't enough, the males (denoted by frills that hang around their head like a hood) will spit a viscous and vile liquid onto their prey, distracting and hampering their ability to defend themselves. It's often suggested by locals "Do not visit the jungles past the evening, the Night marches to war then." The Kuula Characteristics: '''The Kuula are a unique and also terrifying land predator. They are large, and can get up to 790lbs, and they have wings designed for gliding down from the treetops. However, they are hotly debated on weather they are inherently psychic, as it is known that the creature hunts prey, by 'smelling' it's fear. They have a horrifying screech and can induce an electric shock like an eel when it clamps it's teeth down on someone. Unless you have no fear, it's always recommended that you head into the jungle with a guide. '''The Puca Characteristics: '''Puca are small symbiotic ferret like rodents which live on Aomori. They are best known for their ability to manipulate the emotional states of creatures and humans around them. This manipulation usual serves simply to correct imbalances in the target's psyche but can in times of extreme stress it can suppress ones urge to commit acts of violence, but only before said acts are undertaken. These abilities have resulted in them becoming a very desirable companion for both native animals and people alike. As such puca are seldom found alone and are often guarded by larger more threatening fauna. This in combination with their extremely low population makes them an exceedingly rare find. Other notable abilities include the ability to float for short amounts of time as well as lacking the need to respire. Scientist are still unsure as to why they breath when they do not need to in order to survive. Puca's base fur color is always white or black. Bonding: A puca has accents and markings which change color depending on it's mood until it has bonded with a human. Once it has bonded with a human, it's markings shift to the color most desired by the bound human. During times of emotional stress, the markings on the puca will change in color to reflect the mental state of their master. Biology: Absolutely no one knows much more about puca biology aside from the fact that their existence is strange backwards and they shouldn’t exist based on our current understanding of reality. It is unknown how they reproduce and attempts to glean information about their physiology via dissection and vivisection have resulted in them fading out of existence before any information can be gleaned only to reappear somewhere later. '''Whale Crab '''Characteristics: '''The whale crab is a species of large crustacean native to the oceans of Aomori. The carapace of the whale crab may reach a length of 5.2 metres (17 ft). It has a brown carapace with mottled red or orange markings on its claws and legs. Some whale crabs in the planet’s southern hemisphere have a distinct purple tint to their claws. Despite their intimidating presence, whale crabs are scavengers which feed on aquatic flora and the detritus of other aquatic megafauna. Though they do not prey on humans, whale crabs have been known to be highly territorial during their mating seasons, and are just as aggressive as other fauna while in the radius of an active terraforming engine. Category:Planets Category:Alvero Category:House Retiulum